Together Forver
by SpookyT
Summary: Grace and Oliver grow closer through the loss of Annie, her subsequent return and life thereafter. Changed the title because another fic had the same one.
1. Chapter 1

**Together At Last**

**Summary: Grace and Oliver grow closer through the loss of Annie, her subsequent return and life there after.**

**Rating: G **

**A/N: Ok so I've been studying chemistry all day and need a break, this story came to mind last night while I was watching Annie.**

**I didn't like the way that in the movie Annie's song was only about leaving Warbucks after all Grace had done for her, so I rewrote that bit a little.**

**Chapter 1**

**Grace looked at the couple standing before Mr. Warbucks there was something about them that just didn't sit well with her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Annie's reaction to meeting her mother was not what Grace would have expected from the usually energetic and loving child, it was almost as if Annie didn't believe that these people were her parents. That was ridiculous though, they had her birth certificate, knew the orphanage where they had left her and, most important of all, not only did they know about the locket but they actually had the other half of it with them. Indeed these people, the Mudges, must be her parents. **

"**Will she be long getting ready we really must be going?" Mr. Mudge asked.**

**Oliver didn't particularly like the man's tone but said nothing about it.**

"**Miss Farrell, why don't you go see if she needs any help." Oliver said in a somewhat harsh tone.**

**Grace stared at Oliver for a moment, 'So that's it she's leaving and all we ever had, or were going to have is gone?' **

"**Yes sir!"**

**Grace watched from the closet as Annie began organizing her clothes, but the little girl was putting none of them in her case. Picking up that last few dresses Grace made her way back into the room, trying desperately to keep her emotions under control. **

"**Do you think the stores will take all this back?" Annie asked.**

**The question shocked Grace a little, why would she want to return all her lovely things?**

"**All your new clothes?" **

**The little girl nodded.**

"**Well I guess so Annie but.. don't you want to keep them?"**

**Deep down inside Grace felt as if Annie was trying to get rid of anything that reminded her of her stay with them, but she knew she was just being paranoid.**

"**My new folks, they're poor. All these clothes are going to make them feel bad."**

**She had a point.**

"**Could you maybe bring them back to the orphanage and give them to my friends?" **

"**Certainly," Grace said although the thought of it made her want to break down in tears.**

**Annie began holding up some of her clothes and said who they would look best on. She paused when she got to the dress she had worn when Grace first picked her up from the orphanage, then quickly folded it and put it in her case.**

**Within a few minutes Annie was ready to leave; Grace helped her with her case and left her in the foyer while she went to retrieve Mr. Warbucks and the Mudges. Annie said her goodbye's to Punjab, the asp and all the friends she had made during her time in the mansion, she would miss them all dearly but none more so than Grace and Mr. Warbucks.**

"**_Bethcha my life is gonna be swell,_**

_**Looking at them it's easy to tell,**_

_**And maybe I'll forget how nice they were to me,**_

**_And how I was almost their baby.."_**

**The servants who heard the young girl's song began to cry silently, knowing instantly who she was referring to. They all knew, given the way their manager and boss had been acting since Annie's parents arrived, that Ms. Farrell and Mr. Warbucks would miss Annie, their baby, dearly.**

**Annie walked up to the front door and looked back behind her at the life she could have had. There stood Grace and Mr. Warbucks both trying desperately not to break down in front of her. **

"**Come along baby," her mother said as she gently pushed her towards the door.**

**Annie stopped, turned again and ran to Grace and Mr. Warbucks flinging her arms around them.**

"**Thank you so much for all you've done for me, I will never forget either of you."**

**Grace and Oliver took turns hugging the little girl goodbye, Oliver went first and told Annie that should she ever need anything all she had to do was call. When Grace hugged her she began to weep softly.**

"**I love you Annie, never forget that."**

**Oliver Warbucks watched from his balcony as Annie got into the truck and drove out of his life forever.**

"**_It'll be fine, nothing to fear,_**

_**She'll be as happy as she was here,**_

_**Things have worked out much better than planned,**_

_**It makes you smile when fate takes a hand,**_

_**And I know I'll forget how much she meant to me,**_

**_And how she was almost our baby,_**

_**Maybe."**_

**Grace sat in the hall crying softly to herself, she could hear Mr. Warbucks singing and her heart broke remembering what it was that had first brought music into the large house. Her breath caught in her throat as she heard him sing "_Our baby_". Maybe he did still have feelings for her.**

**Oliver heard the sound of quiet tears as he left his room and he knew instantly who it was coming from. In all his worry, fear, anger and sadness he had almost forgot about what Grace must be going through. She loved Annie from the word go, it had been her idea that he should adopt her and it was she who caused his heart to open to the little girl and to the thought that there was more to love than money and power and capitalism. Quietly he sat down beside her and placed his arm around her.**

"**Grace…I'm sorry I was so harsh with you earlier."**

**Grace looked up into his eyes and the tears came once again.**

"**Oh Oliver what did we do to deserve this? We loved her, we gave her all she could ever need, she was our baby! Why did she have to be taken from us?" **

**Grace knew that she was being selfish and that Annie deserved the family she had always dreamed of, but she still wished that she and Oliver were that family.**

**Oliver didn't know quite what to say so he simply sat with her, holding and comforting her. They stayed that way for a long time until Drake came and informed them that there was someone on the phone for Mr. Warbucks. Silently the two rose and while they headed their separate ways their hearts remained together in grief and in love. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Grace returned to her office in silence, the men and women she passed didn't know what to say to the obviously grieving woman so they let her be. Sitting at her desk she tried to focus on Oliver's schedule for tomorrow but her eyes kept drifting to the photograph on her desk. It was taken the night they all went to the movies, the night Grace saw that Oliver was capable of love and the night before her world crumbled in around her as the search for Annie's parents began. She had once overheard Mrs. Pugh call it their 'Family Picture' and Grace had hoped to fill her office with more of them but alas it was not meant to be. She was drawn from her solitude by a huge commotion outside her door.

Oliver hung up the phone and sighed, it had been Eleanor Roosevelt asking how the search was coming along. He picked up the picture of Annie that sat on his desk, he wasn't sure when it was put there but he knew by whom. Silently he ran his fingers over the photograph recalling the time he had spent with the little girl.

"It's over Oliver," he told himself. "She's gone."

Then he placed the photograph in his desk drawer. Tears were threatening to overflow, but he suppressed them. He had to remain strong, if not for himself then for Grace. That woman had been through so much Oliver was surprised she had held out as long as she did.

"Are you really that surprised that a wonderful woman like her could handle her emotions?"

His thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like children's voices coming from downstairs.

All the children, who Grace identified as being Annie's friends from the orphanage, were speaking at once and she couldn't make heads or tales of what they were saying. It wasn't until they heard the voice of one Oliver Warbucks that they quietened down.

"What now?"

Grace listened intently as the girls told the story of what Miss Hannigan had done and what she was planning. The whole time her heart was in her mouth and her eyes were filling up with tears.

"Grace get me J. Edgar and the chief of police on the phone," Oliver said softly as he placed a hand softly on her shoulder.

"We're going to find her."

Grace quickly got to work on the phones and within minutes every cop and G-man was on the street looking for Annie.

"Why don't you stay here with the girls?" Oliver suggested. He wasn't sure if he wanted Grace out there as he was unsure of how it would end.

"No Oliver I'm coming with you!" Grace said in her most commanding voice but in her eyes Oliver could see nothing but fear. She didn't want to stay in that big house not knowing what was going on. Oliver nodded and the two headed out to the car.

Oliver drove as fast as he could down the abandoned streets of New York. He was sure he was breaking about a dozen road safety laws but he really didn't care. He drove in the direction of the bridge wondering why they had stopped there.

"Oh Oliver what if they have hurt her?"

It was a possibility Oliver knew but one he chose to deny.

"Don't think that way, Annie will be fine."

Pulling up by the bridge he saw the truck, Miss Hannigan and "Mrs. Mudge" but no Annie or "Mr. Mudge".

"Oh my God, Oliver look!"

Grace squeezed his hand and pointed to the top of the bridge. Oliver's eyes followed and what he saw sent shivers down his spine. Annie was hanging off the top of the bridge and "Mr. Mudge" as trying to make her fall. Grace and Oliver moved out of the way to let the firemen through. Grace didn't want to look but found that she couldn't help herself and as she clung to Oliver for support he could feel her shaking, Silently they watched as Punjab lowered himself down and caught hold of Annie but their hearts did not beat normally until both Annie and Punjab were safely on the ground and "Mr. Mudge" was in police custody.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry it has taken this long to update but I was doing my pre's and barely had time to breathe. There over now though so you finally get chapter 3 and I can get this idea out of my head and on the net. Be warned though I am now entering my two weeks of orals so this fic could take a while to be completed because my LC will be six weeks after that. Aaaarrrggghhh the pressure!

Annie sat back in the car, between Grace and Oliver, and sighed. She was finally going home. Home. It was such a small, simple word but its meaning had many depths. The Hudson Street Orphanage was never her home, it wasn't a place where she felt safe or loved or wanted, she just lived there. Thinking back over the last few days Annie realized that a home wasn't a building, the mansion was not necessarily her home now it was her house. Her home was where she felt safe and loved and wanted, and right now that was with Oliver and Grace. She stifled a yawn as she curled up on the seat and fell asleep.

Oliver slowly moved his arm around Grace's shoulders and pulled her in a little closer, while at the same time being sure not to disturb Annie. He had never felt happier in his entire life than he did at this very moment. No amount of money, houses or cars could replace the two most important people in his life, his family. All that remained was to make it official, but that could wait till tomorrow.

Grace finally began to relax as the car turned onto 5th Avenue and she realized that she had not relaxed for a moment since the search for Annie's parents began. Now it was over though and Annie was safe. Annie had been all smiles when the paramedics looked her over and while she gave the cops her statement but deep down all she wanted to do was cry. Grace knew, she could see it in the little girls eyes, but she knew better than to push Annie, she would talk when she was ready. Now life could get back to normal, with perhaps a few exceptions. Grace looked down at Annie and pushed a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. The then placed her hand on Oliver's and gently caressed it with her thumb.

When they finally reached the house Punjab parked right outside the front door. Oliver took Annie in his arms and, together with Grace, took her in home. Drake was waiting inside the door for them, the other servants waited too but they pretended that they were still working.

"Miss the other young girls have been put to bed, they were all terribly tired." Drake said to Grace.

"We sent them up once we got the call that everything was alright."

Grace smiled her thanks and followed Oliver up to Annie's room.

What took place in Annie's room was almost identical to what had happened when they had returned from the movies. Grace removed Annie's clothes while Oliver retrieved her dressing gown from the bathroom and once they had drawn the covers over the sleeping child Sandy jumped up on the bed and fell asleep. They both placed a kiss on Annie's forehead and started out of the room, when they reached the door they stopped and looked back at their sleeping angel.

"Hopefully this will be a start of a new life for all of us," Oliver said as he closed the door,

When he turned he saw Grace walking down towards her own room.

"Grace."

Grace stopped and waited for Oliver to catch up. When he did he turned her to him and took her hands in his own.

"When I said this was the start of a new life for all of us, I meant all of us."

Grace smiled a thousand watt smile and hand in hand they waked toward her room. Oliver kissed her lips gently and turned to leave.

"Oliver," Grace called after him.

"Stay with me."

Oliver stopped and turned his mouth slightly open, he was about to start on about how it wasn't appropriate but when he looked in her eyes he knew that the last thing Grace wanted was to be alone right now. What happened today had shaken her to the very core of her being.

"Please."

Without saying a word Oliver walked back to her and taking her hand lead her into her room.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok I know it has been a long time since I updated this and that you are probably all sick of waiting but I have been really busy these last few weeks, hell months, and whenever I get an idea I am too tired to write it. At the moment I am exhausted but also deliriously happy as I have just secured my place in college so I decided to give ye a present as a thank you for constantly nagging at me to update. Lol. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 4**

**Grace awoke feeling cozy and warm and, above all, safe, it was the same feeling she had every morning when she woke but today it was different. Today the warm, cozy and safe feeling was not from the knowledge that she was in a house better guarded that the White House, no today it was a man who caused these feelings in her. Not just any man either. She was currently wrapped in the arms of the man who she had been secretly in love with for years, the man who filled her heart with more love and joy than she had ever thought herself capable of having, the man who gave her everything she had ever wanted by simply being in her presence. **

**Oliver lay in bed wondering how long it would take its owner to realize that he was awake and hoping it would not be for another few minutes. He watched through half closed eyes as she ran her fingers through her brown hair, this was only the second time he had ever seen it down and he loved it. He loved her long delicate fingers, they were so soft and when they brushed against his it was like he was suddenly reborn. His gaze drifted from her hair down to her face, she was so beautiful. Oliver had seen his fair share of good looking women but the woman before him…she was a goddess by comparison. Her eyes showed more emotion in a single second than a poet could hope to write about in a lifetime. Her lips were so soft when they touched against his that he almost felt like he was in a dream, a dream he would never wish to wake from. Oliver had not wanted anything for years, ever since he made his first million, but now all he wanted was to hold this woman in his arms forever. He would give away all his money if it meant he could spend another second in her presence.**

**As Grace took in the sight of the man lying next to her she couldn't help but wonder what she had done to deserve him. He could have any woman in the country, hell in the world, and yet he chose her. All she was was a secretary, she wasn't from a wealthy family and she didn't believe that she was in any way pretty. **

'**So why did he chose me? What have I done that I could be so blessed as to be in the arms of Oliver Warbucks?'**

**Oliver had never been married or engaged or, for that matter, been in what most people would consider to be a serious relationship. Whenever he met a woman he liked he would discover that all she saw in him was money and power. Never once did he find a woman who wanted him for him and not his money, that is until now. Oliver had no idea why she had chosen him, she was so smart and funny and gorgeous that she could have any man. Yet she chose him, even though he was loud, short tempered and often completely oblivious to the world that existed outside his work.**

'**What did I ever do to deserve someone as perfect as Grace Farrell?'**

**Grace was pulled from her reverie by the sound of her phone ringing. Slowly, so as not to wake her sleeping partner, she crept out of bed and answered the phone. It was Mrs. Pugh informing her that breakfast would be ready in a few minutes and that she had made all of Annie's favorites. Grace silently scolded herself for not thinking of the young girl who was responsible for her finding happiness. Without Annie Grace was not sure if she and Oliver would have admitted their feelings. Just as Grace was replacing the receiver she heard Mrs. Pugh call down the phone.**

"**Oh and Miss could you please tell Mr. Warbucks when you see him? No one seems to be able to find him."**

**Grace chuckled as she walked back to bed, if only they knew.**

"**What's so funny?"**

**Grace jumped when she heard the voice from the bed, she thought he was still asleep.**

"**Mrs. Pugh was just telling me that no one can find you and when I see you I am to tell you that breakfast is ready."**

**Grace sat on the bed and placed a soft kiss on Oliver's lips, a kiss Oliver quickly deepened. When they finally stopped for air they agreed that is was probably time to get up and face the day.**

"**Oliver how long have you been awake?" Grace asked as she pulled on a baby blue sundress.**

"**Longer than you my dear, I was enjoying the most wonderful view before Mrs. Pugh called."**

**Grace blushed and turned from him, embarrassed at hearing that he was staring at her for over an hour. She had just finished fixing her dress when a thought occurred to her.**

"**Oliver the only clothes you have with you are the ones from yesterday, you can't be seen wearing the same clothes coming out of my room, people might suspect something."**

**Oliver chucked as he pulled on his pants and walked over to her. Taking her in his arms he kissed the top of her head and then looked down into her eyes.**

"**I don't want to hide my relationship with you nor do I want to hide the feelings I have for you. I want to shout from the rooftops that I am in love with you and if any of my employees have a problem with that…..well they know where the door is."**

**Grace didn't know what to say, for a man who claimed to be useless at writing speeches Oliver certainly had a way with words. She said the only thing she could say,**

"**I love you too."**

**They kissed again and while it was not an overly passionate kiss it was one filled with love.**

"**Well then we better finish getting ready and get Annie up for breakfast."**

**A/N This fic will be focusing on Oliver and Grace mainly, I will deal with Annie's story but only as a sub-plot. Thanks and please review.**


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